Monthly Archives: April 2020

12 04, 2020

COVID-19 Update

By |2022-03-20T21:09:11-07:00April 12th, 2020|Categories: Club News, Club Parks, Club Programs, Food Bank, Food Program, Frozen Meals|0 Comments

In response to the pandemic, the Food Program has adapted our regular programs. It’s clear that when it comes to food security, some people are more affected by the pandemic than others.

We are partnering with St. Margaret’s of Scotland church to run the Galiano Food Bank, which re-opened in February. There are a number of people on the island who rely on the Food Bank and the demand has increased during the pandemic as many community members are facing financial insecurity. We are very grateful for the swell of donations we’ve received from the community, including the CRD, and from the volunteers who have been doing grocery runs to make sure we have enough – thank you very much for your support. And a big thanks also to Daystar, the Corner Store and Galiano Trading for your support making sure we can bring in groceries.

To meet the needs of people who are self-isolating or in quarantine, and who are struggling to afford groceries, we have begun a new service in partnership with the Better at Home program, delivering over a dozen hampers of food each week. This program relies on over a dozen superstar volunteers who have stepped up to help out, cooking, driving, and doing outreach – thank you all!

As a result of both of these programs, we’re facing a pretty steep grocery bill each week, and we’ve lost the revenue of our Soup & Bread lunches, so again, we’re very grateful for the generous wave of donations from the community, as well as from the United Way.

We are exploring other avenues for financial support including announcements from the Federal Government about support for organizations and Food Banks.

If you’re able to contribute, we need your support to keep our programs going and feed vulnerable islanders.

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12 04, 2020

Galiano Club’s lands in the time of COVID-19 – Parks Notice – April 2020

By |2020-05-11T23:32:39-07:00April 12th, 2020|Categories: Club News, Club Parks|0 Comments

From the Galiano Club during the coronavirus pandemic:

The parklands we manage — the Bluffs, Mt Galiano, the Community Forest — remain open. Fresh air and exercise are essential elements in maintaining good physical and mental health; this is most especially vital just now. So, we want our hiking trails, our parks, to be kept available for our neighbours to use. But, while using the trails and the vehicle parking areas it is most important to remember the current pandemic situation, the precautions outlined by our local health experts — most especially the social distancing. And, to wash your hands well before & after each hike/walk.

The staff at the Galiano Health Care Centre and those with the Galiano Emergency Program all agree with this decision by the Galiano Club Board. But, they caution that the board may need to revisit this decision as needed.

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12 04, 2020

Foraging

By |2020-07-01T18:54:51-07:00April 12th, 2020|Categories: Food Program, Nettlefest|0 Comments

by Alison Colwell

Right now, getting outside could offer some fresh air and needed distraction. Just remember your social distancing!

Foraging wild food is one of our most primal activities, up there with discovering who left those tracks in the sand and learning how to build a fire. And if you can tell the difference between kale and lettuce, you will be able to identify plants and mushrooms in the wild. Foraging can be as simple as picking blackberries at the edge of the road or hiking through Bluffs Park looking for mushrooms. The more we use wild spaces to explore and forage in, the more connections we develop to our foods and the place we call home.

Come spring, stinging nettles are among the first edible plants to burst from the ground in the Galiano, then miner’s lettuce, blackberries in the late summer and chanterelle mushrooms in the fall, foraging oysters from Retreat Cove in the winter. Food surrounds us on our small island, if we know where to look. Once I learned to tap maple trees, boiling down the sap, making enough syrup for one Sunday breakfast.

Not only are foraged plants tasty, free, fresh and a good way to connect you to the place we live, they can also be good for you. Stinging nettles are high in vitamin C and calcium. Food is a necessity and also the glue that binds our community together, one neighbour to the next. So get a good book, or better, go out with an experienced friend. We all need to learn, and in learning we can save both the food and the environment it lives in, and preserve the knowledge that teaches us what to eat: grand fir tea, sword fern roots, thistle stems, nori, salmonberry, Oregon grape, to start.

Picking plants should be done in moderation. It is good to leave a bit behind for birds, deer, and slugs to feed on. Sustainable harvesting is important to remember to prevent inadvertent over-picking. There may be a lot of a plant growing in one area, but this doesn’t mean that it is abundant everywhere. Compensate for what you harvest by giving back to the land, by spreading seeds, removing invasive species and reintroducing natives, all while minimizing your footprint to maintain the health of the ecosystem. And never ever take more than you can use.

(At time of printing, we’re expecting to postpone the potluck and cooking class portions of Nettlefest for this year. Stay tuned to our newsletter for more information.)

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